In-N-Out Announced Its First Restaurant Location Outside Of The West Coast—And These States Are Feeling Betrayed

Marissa Matozzo
·2 min read
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For 75 years, In-N-Out customers have been reassured that the beloved fast food chain would only open locations along the West Coast. With all of the restaurants located either in California or neighboring states, it came as a shock to many fans when In-N-Out announced that it is expanding east.

Here’s what we know about the company’s plans, so far:

READ MORE: 3 Things You Never Knew About Ordering At In-N-Out, According To An Employee

 

In-N-Out Eyes Tennessee As New Corporate Hub & Future Restaurant Location

As reported by Restaurant Business, In-N-Out will open its first “territory office” in the eastern United States in Tennessee in the upcoming months. The company also plans to open the first In-N-Out locations in the state starting in 2026.

This may seem shocking to many customers, given in 2018, In-N-Out CEO Lynsi Snyder (granddaughter of founder Harry Snyder) stressed to Forbes that the chain would never expand east of Texas.

 


“I like that we’re sought after when someone’s coming into town. I like that we’re unique,” she said at the time. “That we’re not on every corner. You put us in every state and it takes away some of its luster.” (Guess that outlook has changed!)

 

Fan Reactions

After the news broke this week, In-N-Out fans from the West Coast expressed their “disappointment” on Twitter in learning that the chain will be expanding, while many East Coasters (and especially Tennessee residents) noted that they were “happy to try” the highly raved and celeb-fave chain.

 


“In n out expanding to the east coast is something so personal to me,” one user wrote as another chimed in, “Hearing that In n Out is expanding east is the best news i’ve heard in so long. and if they announce a location in ny, that will be the seratonin boost i need to get me through the whole year.”

Someone else tweeted, “Wait a damn minute..In N Out expanding to Tennessee?” to express their shock, and honestly, same.